Amy Pecorarohttp://amypecoraro.com
I will provide you with the personal service you deserve. Put my professional image, reputation, and business ethics to work for you.Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:23:46 -0500en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.4Is This Famous ‘Pulp Fiction’ Filming Location Prepping for Destruction?http://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/is-this-famous-pulp-fiction-filming-location-prepping-for-destruction/
Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:23:46 +0000http://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/is-this-famous-pulp-fiction-filming-location-prepping-for-destruction/

We know you’ll recognize something vaguely familiar when you click through the photos of this unassuming San Fernando Valley home. It looks like a thousand other homes in the Valley that were built in the 1930s. But still, there’s something about it…

It’s a location from the 1994 classic “Pulp Fiction.” Specifically, it’s the house of the character Jimmy (played by Tarantino), where Vincent (Travolta) and Jules (Jackson) go to deal with the remains of an accidental and ill-timed murder they’ve committed.

And now you can have this little patch of Hollywood history to call your own, because it’s just landed on the market for $1.4 million.

Jimmy’s house in “Pulp Fiction”

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Note the scalloped range hood next to Tarantino.

Movieclips.com/Youtube

Here’s that same range hood today.

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Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel Jackson) enjoy coffee made by Jimmy in front of the laundry nook.

Movieclips.com/Youtube

Different washer and dryer, same nook

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Recognize that kitchen peninsula?

Movieclips.com/Youtube

Here’s what it looks like today.

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But it’s being promoted as an “amazing development opportunity,” which means it might have an imminent date with a fate worse than two fearsome criminals: the wrecking ball.

The listing states that it comes “with plans and permits fully approved and paid for. Shovel ready to begin construction on an approximately 4,200-square-foot residence (including garage and patio).”

So, sadly, it’s not the three-bedroom, two-bath, 1,702-square-foot home’s cinematic pedigree that accounts for the current asking price. Although it would be cool to stand in the very backyard where Vincent and Jules stripped naked in front of The Wolf (Keitel), so he could blast them with a garden hose to remove all incriminating traces of blood.

The house was a pinkish hue when they filmed “Pulp Fiction.”

Movieclips.com/Youtube

Here’s what it looks like today.

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Another view of the current backyard

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No, the property’s true value lies in the location. It’s situated in the chic little Studio City neighborhood called Colfax Meadows, which boasts charming streets, renovated homes, proximity to major studios, and last but not least, a location in the Carpenter Charter School District, one of the best in the state.

The living room as it is today.

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The entire neighborhood might look familiar to you, because its famous filming locations include the “Brady Bunch” house and the “Boy Meets World” house.

The only seriously criminal behavior in the neighborhood was purely fictional, as in “Pulp Fiction.” While hundreds of other movies, television shows, and commercials have been shot on the quiet, all-American private streets of Colfax Meadows, those who know will doubtless feel a loss with the inevitable demolition of that red wall-papered bathroom where Vincent and Jules attempted to wash the blood from their hands without staining Jimmy’s towels.

Vincent and Jules wash their hands in the bathroom.

Movieclips.com/Youtube

The hallway boasts one image from the famous film shot on the premises.

No matter how thorough a housekeeper you are, there are certain blind spots in every home that are all too easy to overlook. As a result, they get bypassed during your spring-cleaning tirade, growing grimier … and grimier.

Curious where these surprising cesspools lie? Check out this hit list of areas in your home that we’ll bet you forget to clean this spring—and read on to find the best way to give them a thorough scrubbing.

Tile grout

If you have tile floors or countertops, the grout may harbor germs and mold, according to Mark Welstead, president of Rainbow Restoration. Not only is that awfully gross, the grout will eventually start to stain, meaning an even bigger cleaning job down the road.

How to clean it: Wipe the grout with vinegar, then scrub with baking soda and a brush. You can also try scrubbing with borax or olive oil-based Castile soap. For visibly moldy grout, you need to spray on 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted by half in water. Let it sit for 45 minutes, then rinse. Here’s more on how to clean tile grout.

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The tops of door frames, cabinets, and bookshelves

If you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist, and therefore doesn’t need cleaning, right? Sadly, no. The tops of door frames, book shelves—anything above your sight line—are primo dust collection spots. If your upper kitchen cabinets don’t go all the way to the ceiling, the tops are probably coated in dust mixed with sticky kitchen grease. Charming!

How to clean it: Wipe door frames and bookshelves with a damp cloth. For greasy gunk, try rubbing dish detergent on, leaving it for a moment, then wiping it off. If that doesn’t cut it, level up to Goo Gone Kitchen Degreaser. For bonus points, take the glass globe off any ceiling lights or fans, and rinse out the dust and dead bugs.

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Garbage disposal

You know that thing is gross, right? I mean, think about what you put into it! Beside general yuckiness, it’s important to clean, because, according to Doyle James, president of Mr. Rooter Plumbing, grease buildup can seriously back up your sink drains.

How to clean it: Run hot water and turn on the disposal. Pour a tablespoon of dish soap down, and let the water run for 15 to 30 seconds. Turn off the disposal and let the water run until there are no more bubbles. Scrub the underside of the drain flaps with a brush, hot water, and dish soap.

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Toilet brush and holder

You don’t need me to explain why your toilet brush and holder are disgusting. But how do you fix them? What cleans the cleaning implements? There are options other than just throwing them away and buying a new one when it gets nasty (yes, we all know someone who does this).

How to clean it: First off, you can prevent some germ build-up by spraying down the brush with disinfectant right after you use it. Leave it to drip-dry into the toilet, smushed between the seat and the rim of the bowl.

For deep cleaning, you can either soak the brush and holder in a bucket of warm water and a few capfuls of bleach for about 10 minutes, or you can spray them both down with disinfecting spray, let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Yes, bleach is a harsh cleaner, but if you’re going to break out the big guns for anything, it should be the item that scrubs the inside of your toilet bowl.

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Curtains

Curtains are pros at passively catching dust, pet hair, and other particulate gunk from the air. If you’re not cleaning them, you should be.

How to clean it: Start with vacuuming them. And check the tag: Some fabrics can be machine washed, while others need to be hand washed and dried. Very heavy fabrics require a steamer, which you can rent.

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Remotes, phones, and keyboards

All three of these items fall into the category of things your grimy fingers touch every day. Research shows that cell phones are dirtier than toilet seats, and keyboards have the added problem of snack crumb infiltration (don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about). Almost nobody is cleaning this stuff often enough.

How to clean it: For your phone, grab a microfiber cleaning cloth (of the kind you’d use to clean glasses) and spray it with a 50/50 combination of distilled water and vinegar or distilled water and isopropyl alcohol. Wipe down your phone thoroughly, without getting it too wet. Use a toothpick or Q-tip to dislodge anything stuck in the crevices.

You can use the same disinfectant and cloth (clean, obviously) on your remote control. Wipe with the cloth, use a Q-tip to go around the buttons, and a toothpick can help with crumbs.

Keyboard time: Flip the keyboard or laptop over and shake it out. Clean with compressed air while the keyboard is upside down, so the dust will fall out. Finally, use a Q-tip and alcohol to wipe anything gross off the keys. To sanitize, you can do a quick swipe with your handy cleaning cloth, lightly moistened with an alcohol or vinegar solution.

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Chimney

When your wintertime fires are over, it’s time to clean your fireplace. If you don’t, you risk a chimney fire, smoke, or even deadly carbon monoxide gas seeping into your home, says Richard Ciresi, owner of Aire Serv in Louisville, KY.

How to clean it: Since cleaning a chimney involves getting up on the roof, and doing it wrong can have serious consequences, you should call in a professional to tackle this task. Once a year is the minimum for having your chimney swept if you want to use your fireplace safely.

Life can be hell for the indecisive among us. We’re bombarded with perplexing choices every day: Cash or credit? Buy or rent? Collie or capybara? Netflix or Hulu? Spicy Sean Spicer or sassy Sarah Huckabee Sanders?

And then there’s the decision that many Americans might just agonize over the most: city or suburb?

We all know the seductive advantages of big-city living. But there are plenty of charms found in small-town America, too—towns where you chat with your neighbors at the grocery store, local kids ride bikes in packs across tree-lined streets, and moms hang shirts to dry on the backyard clotheslines. Just like on those Sunday morning insurance commercials that put lumps in our throats every time.

Sure, small towns lack the nonstop excitement and endless opportunities of urban living. But these places are a heck of a lot cheaper. And many have great schools, charming historic homes, and a great sense of community.

If the thought of moving to the country brings a big smile to your face, then we’re here to help with your search. The realtor.com® data team set out to find the best small towns in America where you can find affordable and often beautiful housing, safe communities—and, just as important for former city dwellers, plenty of things to do.

Most of these places tend to be in the Midwest rather than the more expensive coasts.

And don’t be shocked: They may also be filled with millennials. About 21% of home buyers aged 37 and under bought homes in a small town compared with 16% in the previous year, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

“The benefits to moving to a small town is that your housing dollars can go a lot further,” says Danielle Hale, chief economist for realtor.com. “While maybe you could get a tiny condo in the city, you can get a bigger house and land to spread out in a small town. You might even find a home with fun features like a porch to [entertain] your friendly new neighbors.”

To create our list, we looked at more than 500 U.S. Census–designated micropolitan areas (i.e., communities with a population between 10,000 and 50,000). Then we factored in the following criteria to come up with our rankings*:

Median home prices

Low unemployment rates (under 5%)

Serious crime rates below the national average

Households that spend no more than 28% of their annual income on housing costs

But we didn’t stop there. We also searched for places offering residents something extra. Because what good is small-town living if ennui makes you small-town crazy? We’re talking about good food. History. Honest-to-God culture. Great natural beauty with top-notch kayaking, hiking, and biking. And maybe even a rhubarb festival or two.

If you live in an expensive city or burb, some of the home prices we found might just blow your mind. So hide your checkbook so you don’t make any rash impulse buys.

The Spencer Dentzel Carousel in Logansport, IN, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987.

Kevin Burkett/Wikipedia

If you enjoy being outdoors, you may just fall in love with Logansport. The town sits at the meeting point of the Wabash and Eel rivers (lots of canoeing, kayaking, tubing), and is surrounded by natural beauty. Locals often take camping and beach trips to 500-acre France Park, which includes a former rock quarry that has become a natural lake, just 10 minutes outside of town.

And buyers who also love historic homes will fit right in.

“We don’t have a lot of new construction, and most [homes] are from at least the 1950s,” says Princessa Rennewanz, a real estate broker at MPR Realty in Logansport. Just recently she sold properties to out-of-towners from Florida, Massachusetts, and Iowa looking for off-grid living.

“You can live out in the country here and still be within 10 minutes of town,” she says. The typical home here is about 1,500 square feet.

The community’s largest employer is Tyson Foods. But it also has lots of manufacturing and health care employers for those who don’t want to commute into the bigger cities. Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are both about an hour and a half away.

Small-town perk: The Spencer Park Dentzel Carousel, in Riverside Park, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1987. It is one of the last three carousels built by the G.A. Dentzel Co., which produced the rides up to the early 20th century. Hang on and enjoy.

You don’t have to cross the U.S. border to visit Mexico—Mexico, MO, that is. The country and the town do have a connection: In 1836 Texans lost to Mexico at the Battle of the Alamo, the same year the town Mexico was established.

As it happens, Mexico ranked No. 1 on our list last year. Go, Mexico!

Being an older town has its perks. For instance, there are lots of stately, historic buildings in downtown that you can admire before grabbing dinner at Hugo’s Italian Ristorante or some comfort food at Stacey’s Place.

Small-town perk: Mexico has been home to the Miss Missouri Scholarship Pageant for the past 36 years. Women aged 17 to 24 from across the state compete annually for coveted college scholarships (and, yep, a chance to win the Miss America crown—it still exists!).

Every year about 1,000 of the nation’s best cowboys and cowgirls take their spurs to Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo for seven straight days of competitions. Top contestants earn trips to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. Admit it: You’d love to see someone bucked off a bull, right?

You wouldn’t be alone: The rodeo practically shuts the town down.

Guymon came in second place in our rankings last year. The town is located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, an area known for its farming, pork processing, and wind energy jobs. Its combo of low unemployment and low home prices pays off—among the small towns we ranked, residents in Guymon spend the smallest percentage of their income on housing.

Most homes in the area are classic three-bedroom, two-bath, single-family homes, says Mackie Westcott, a real estate agent at Johnny Curtis Realty.

Small-town perk: Pack the family into the car, and take ’em to the ’50s-era Corral Drive-In Theater. Just mind the house rules: no booze, grilling, or open hatchbacks. And lay off the horns!

High school football rules the roost in small Ohio towns. And that’s certainly the case in Defiance, where standing room–only crowds gather on Fridays to cheer on the Defiance Bulldogs.

Housing is less of a blood sport, but it is getting more competitive here.

“The typical homes in our market are going to be three-bedroom, two-bath, two-car-garage around $100,000 … but they sell quick,”says Matt Joost, broker/owner of Re/Max Realty of Defiance.

He sees a lot of folks moving from Toledo, a city about an hour away. “I deal with a lot of relocation buyers,” he says, “and I often hear that a $200,000 house here would be over $1 million [where they’re from].”

There’s a wide diversity of home styles, too. Joost says he sells everything from 1970s ranches to houses built at the end of the 1800s. There’s this bungalow built in 1925, which is listed for $45,400.

Small-town perk: It’s the hometown of Kevin Bacon. Nope, not the actor—Ohio state Sen. Kevin Bacon! Six degrees indeed.

If you move here, not only would your expenses drop, you’d probably shed a few pounds too. Albert Lea was the first city to take part in the AARP/Blue Zone Vitality Project with the goal to get local communities to improve their residents’ health and well-being. Since the project launched in 2009, the town has taken on numerous programs toward this goal.

The number of tobacco-free worksites in Albert Lea has almost doubled, to 23%. Local schools have improved nutritional offerings, and junk food is placed on higher shelves in stores. And the community has added bike lanes and healthy lifestyle workshops, and volunteerism has increased.

“We’ve added walking trails, a dog park, and we have great places to kayak,” she says.

The lower prices are also a big draw. The town is about an hour and a half away from the Twin Cities of St. Paul, where the median list price is $219,000, and Minneapolis, where it’s $279,000, according to realtor.com data.

If you’re leaving the big city for extra space, then this is your place. Among the small towns we ranked, Albert Lea had the largest homes: About 1 in 4 is greater than 3,000 square feet.

Small-town perk: The town is surrounded by Fountain Lake, Pickerel Lake, and Albert Lea Lake. Guess that explains the nickname “Land Between the Lakes.” (Duh.)

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders take part in the Veterans Day Parade in Emporia, KS.

Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images

Kansas is known for its prairies—and Emporia is no exception. Just outside of the city is the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, home to a bison herd. Send a few ox pics to your city-locked pals to make ’em jealous.

You’ll have trouble finding a more all-American town. It was home to the nation’s first official Veterans Day; U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, from Emporia, introduced the bill in Congress that established the holiday in 1954. Now the community does a weeklong celebration to honor veterans.

But if you find a home you like, you’d better move quick. Over the past year, the typical home here stayed on the market 57 days. That’s the same number of days as homes in fast-moving cities such as Kansas City and Chicago.

Small-town perk:The cool Granada Theatre was constructed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style in the town’s downtown during the booming 1920s, and still hosts concerts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.

Remember that Wendy’s catchphrase “Where’s the beef?”? The answer is Lexington. Among its biggest employers is Tyson foods and its beef-processing plant, which employs nearly 3,000 workers. In 2015, Tyson announced a $47 million expansion at the plant.

When they’re not working, residents don’t have to escape to the big cities to find something to do. (That’s good because the town is a three-hour drive from Omaha and four from Denver.)

They can stop by Mac’s Creek Winery & Vineyards on music night for a few glasses of wine. Or they can take a trip to the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, which has around 100 military vehicles, helicopters, and tanks going as far back as World War I.

This small town is just around 40 minutes away from Lambeau Field, where the NFL’s Green Bay Packers play. It’s no wonder cheeseheads are the most popular housewarming gift.

For nonfootball fans, the town sits on the Shawano Lake, which is fantastic for camping, hunting, hiking, and fishing.

But more important, there are great real estate bargains to be found. Look no further than this yellow two-story, three-bedroom home for just $64,900. Did we mention the hardwood floors, enclosed porch, and two-car garage?

Small-town perk:Every June a rhubarb festival is held in the town’s Heritage Park. You thought we were kidding about the rhubarb festivals?

As is the case across the state, oil and energy jobs power Dumas. Just outside the city is the Valero McKee Refinery, which produces more than 200,000 barrels of oil per day. Located in the flat Great Plains region, Dumas has a booming wind turbine biz, too.

All of this means jobs. At 3%, Dumas’ unemployment rate is the lowest of all the cities on our list.

Dumas attracts lots of residents who love camping, fishing, boating, and other water sports. Near the city is Cactus Playa Lake, where you’ll spot birds on their migration routes south.

Most homes in Dumas are one-story, brick ranches, according to local real estate broker Cheryl Clark, of Ad Rem Land Co. The most in-demand abodes have three bedrooms and two-car garages and are listed between $125,000 and $175,000.

“Our housing is extremely affordable compared to the rest of the nation,” Clark says.

Small-town perk: For a special night out, the Carriage Co. offers horse-drawn carriage rides throughout the town.

In 1931, a young boy lit a firework that would go on to burn down most of Spencer. It was a disaster, causing about $2 million in damages (and partly spurring a statewide fireworks ban, which wasn’t lifted until last year). After the fire, residents of Spencer had to rebuild. They did it so quickly—and well—that President Herbert Hoover sent a telegram to the local newspaper congratulating the town on its “spirit and achievement,” according to the Spencer Daily Reporter.

“You do not see a lot of towns [building] during the ’30s because of the Great Depression,” says Stephanie Horsley, director of the Clay County Heritage, which operates a museum in Spencer. She says that means that many homes here are styled differently from many other places in the country.

Walking through its historic downtown you’ll quickly take notice of the unique architecture. According to traveliowa.com, its downtown has one of the largest collections of 1930s art deco architecture in the Midwest—a period when the town was being rebuilt.

This mix of art deco and Mission Revival architecture along Grand Avenue earned the town a spot on the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Spencer has a big-time car culture, and the homes reflect it. Among the small towns we ranked, Spencer had the highest percentage of homes with two-door (or bigger) garages, at 17.6%.

But despite their uniqueness, places are still cheap here. Check out this four-bedroom home listed at $114,900.

Small-town perk: The local library’s cat, Dewey Readmore Books, gained notoriety after appearing in a 1997 documentary and a best-selling book, “The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World.” When Dewey died in 2006, his obituary ran in more than 250 newspapers.

Our bedrooms are our sanctuaries for sleep and—let’s get real here—sex. Yet if you and that special someone aren’t making the bedsprings sing as often as you’d like, it can be tempting to pin the blame on busy schedules, stress, and maybe your last domestic spat. But here’s one culprit you probably haven’t considered: your bedroom itself.

Scientific evidence shows that certain aspects of your bedroom environment—like your mattress or what’s on your nightstand—can affect how much sex you’re having and how satisfying it is. Read on for the rundown on what may be messing up your mojo—and more importantly, how you can get it back.

A memory foam mattress

Memory foam mattresses are all the rage for getting a good night’s sleep. However, a survey conducted by the mattress company Leggett & Platt discovered that memory foam owners were less likely to be intimate than people sleeping on traditional spring mattresses, since sex on memory foam was described by some users as being “difficult,” “horrible,” or more specifically, feeling as if you’re “stuck in quicksand.”

Memory foam poses two challenges, says Rachel DeAlto, a relationship expert on Lifetime’s “Married at First Sight.” “One, you sink in too far, and your favorite positions become nearly impossible,” she says. “And two, you can end up sliding into indentations where the foam hasn’t bounced back yet.”

The fix: If you’re shopping for a new mattress, consider the pros and cons of memory foam before you buy into it. Or, option 2: Start experimenting with sex positions where at least one of you has their feet on the floor. Or hey, find other places in your home to go at it (like the couch or kitchen counter, anyone?).

A TV in the bedroom

No matter what channel you’re tuned to, that ginormous flat screen on your wall is going to slay the amount of sex you have in half, according to research published in the National Review of Medicine. For this study, more than 500 Italian couples shared details of their sex lives—and TV placement. And it turns out that couples with TVs in the bedroom had 50% less sex than those who watched TV elsewhere.

The fix: “Cut the cable in the bedroom,” advises Paul L. Hokemeyer, J.D., Ph.D., a licensed marriage and family therapist with offices in New York, Malibu, and London. “No matter how much you try to ignore what’s happening on the screen, you can’t.” Relegate your TV to some other area in the house, like your living room.

Chilly temperatures

In one study at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, researchers conducted brain scans on some adventurous couples as they stripped down and got busy in a laboratory setting. Granted, the sterile ambience didn’t do much for the mood; only 50% of them could achieve orgasm. Yet it turns out that the room temperature was also a problem. Once the researchers had made sure that the study subjects put on socks, toasty toes enabled 80% of the volunteers to reach their peaks.

The fix: A cold room can cool your ardor, so make sure the thermostat’s on your side—ideally between 67 and 70 degrees, according to DeAlto.

That charging station on your nightstand

Keeping your smartphone and tablets on your nightstand might be convenient, but your sex life will pay a price. In a study published in the journal Psychology of Media Culture, researchers asked participants to track their phone use and “dependency,” as well as their partner’s. The results showed that high phone dependency—which can be aided and abetted by keeping your phone on your nightstand—resulted in lower satisfaction levels with their romantic relationship. In fact, one unrelated survey found that “Nine percent of people have checked their phones during sex,” says DeAlto. Ouch.

The fix: “Good sex happens when two people are connected and attentive, not checking their phone,” says DeAlto. Give yourself some tough love: Make a policy that all electronics are turned off or, at the very least, muted and face down, in the bedroom. (And not within arm’s reach.)

Clutter

Clutter isn’t just an eyesore, but a mood-killer, too. Or, so found psychologists at the University of California Los Angeles, who had 60 study subjects give them self-guided home tours where they described their homes, while also having their blood tested for levels of cortisol, a hormone that the body releases when it feels stressed.

It turns out that homeowners who described the rooms in their house (bedroom and otherwise) as “cluttered” had higher levels of cortisol—and stress. And this can easily lead to less sex, Hokemeyer warns.

The fix: “Unless you share genes with a hoarding animal such as a squirrel, declutter your bedroom,” he suggests. “Even if you rationalize that clutter doesn’t bother you, it does. You know it’s there, calling you to tidy up.”

In a district dotted with architectural beauties, the property known as La Rochelle stands out. The Bar Harbor, ME, mansion sits on just under 2 acres and is now on the market for $4.5 million. That represents a price cut from the $6.3 million it was listed for last summer.

Unlike many a summer estate hidden behind rows of hedges and set back after a long drive, the highly visible La Rochelle is right on the street.

“It’s the definition of curb appeal,” says listing agent Kim Swan. “That’s what’s rare. To have a grand, grand house like this, and you can walk to town.”

It’s no small thing, considering that the area population increases exponentially in summer. Parking can be a little bit of a challenge.

La Rochelle in summer

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Double staircase

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Library

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Glassed-in solarium

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Aerial view of oceanfront home

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The iconic Georgian Revival is located on the historic landmarked West Street on one side, with the ocean in the back. There are 16 beds, eight baths, and two half-baths. Six of the bedrooms are en suite, says Swan.

In 1972, owners Tristram C. Colket Jr., one of the Campbell Soup heirs, and his wife, Ruth Colket, donated the 13,000-square-foot brick building to the Maine Sea Coast Mission, which named it the Colket Center. The nonprofit provides assistance to underserved residents living in the surrounding area.

Facing high costs for the upkeep of the mansion and landscaping, the nonprofit has decided to sell the place and move to a building with lower overhead, notes Swan. The assets of the sale will go toward the group’s mission. So as a bonus for buying the gorgeous house, you’re also helping a good cause.

Despite it being the headquarters of a nonprofit for the past four decades, the interior hasn’t been altered much. The grand main floor, double staircase, high ceilings, and large public rooms are still intact. The layout also contains a glassed-in solarium with views of the beach, and multiple fireplaces, original woodwork, and outdoor space with spectacular ocean views.

The third floor, which contains multiple small rooms, once served as servants quarters. Swan notes there may have been as many as 22 servants living there at the time the home was built. Those rooms have since been used for storage.

The next owner will want to update the kitchens and baths, which haven’t been touched in years.

The 1902 “cottage,” as it’s known here, was the town’s first brick summer home, built for banker George S. Bowdoin, a great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton. (Yes, that Alexander Hamilton, first U.S. Treasury secretary.) The cost to build the retreat was around $100,000, according to reports at the time. When Bowdoin died in 1913, the home was passed to his widow, Julia Irving Grinnell, and his daughter, Edith Bowdoin, and eventually to the Colkets.

Since it’s been on the market, Swan has fielded calls from some interested parties who want to turn the eye-catching real estate into a boutique hotel.

If you were thinking along those lines, you should know the home is zoned only for residential use. However, using this place as a short-term rental with a one-week minimum is an option for a buyer when not using the home, Swan notes.

Bar Harbor has been a draw since the 1880s, when wealthy New Yorkers headed north for some relief in the summer, and competed to build beautiful homes and gardens. Area residents included John D. Rockefeller Jr., who donated about a third of the adjacent Acadia National Park; Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, who was born in Bar Harbor; Cornelius Vanderbilt; and the Astor family.

In nearby Seal Harbor, tastemaker Martha Stewart has a vacation home, Skylands, which was once owned by Edsel Ford.

While the price tag is hefty, you’ll get not only a stunning and historic vacation home, but also karma points for helping a worthy organization. We bet even Alexander Hamilton would approve of that math.

My husband and I share our bed with our dog—a border collie/lab mix named Abbey. Shortly after we brought her home, Abbey realized that the most comfortable sleeping quarters were our own. So, that’s where she joined us.

Still, though, we wondered if having a panting, drooling, 60-pound ball of fur on our bed would disrupt our sleep?

It turns out, no—if anything, my husband and I sleep more soundly than ever.

And a recent study cited in the New York Times confirms this: Researchers at the Mayo Clinic who monitored the sleep patterns of 40 dogs in bed with their owners found that these dog lovers got just as much shut-eye as folks who exile their pooch to a doggy bed or the floor. So if you love snuggling with your fur baby, go for it!

This is the fur baby I get to snuggle with. Meet Miss Abbey.

Natalie Way

“This goes against the lore that you should have the dog sleep elsewhere,” study author Lois Krahn told the Times. “Today, many pet owners are away from their pets for much of the day, so they want to maximize their time with them when they are home. Having them in the bedroom at night is an easy way to do that. And, now, pet owners can find comfort knowing it won’t negatively impact their sleep.”

But that got me thinking: Even if having a dog in your bed isn’t detrimental to your sleep, might it be detrimental to your health? After all, Abbey loves pawing through garbage; I was once horrified to catch her chomping on a dried, dead squirrel. Might having her lounge on our bed increase the odds that my husband or I could catch … something? Let’s look at the facts.

Can you get sick from a dog sleeping in your bed?

Experts agree that the average healthy owner of a dog has nothing to worry about.

“The likelihood of someone getting sick is extremely rare, as is the risk of transmission of diseases,” Dr. Justine Lee, a veterinary specialist from Minneapolis, tells realtor.com®. “Ninety to 95% of the time, it’s very safe to sleep with your pets. Most vets even let their dogs sleep on their bed.”

There are, however, a small percentage of people who won’t benefit from being in close quarters with their dog. That includes individuals with compromised immune systems (due to AIDS, cancer, lupus) as well as those with allergies or severe asthma.

What types of diseases can humans get from dogs?

Although the risk of getting a disease from your dog is staggeringly low, ringworm and mange are two types of skin diseases dogs can carry that are transmitted through contact. But even if you are infected, Lee assures us these diseases are easily treatable.

Fleas and ticks can also hop a free ride on your dog’s coat and into your home. And according to research conducted at Harvard Medical School, these parasites can transmit germs that can cause Lyme disease, the malaria-like infection known as babesiosis, and even plague. That’s why it’s important for your dog to be on a monthly preventive flea and tick regimen.

How dog owners can stay healthy

Common-sense hygiene will keep dog owners healthy and reduce their risk of getting sick from anything Fido brings in. This includes washing your hands after walks or playtime, taking your pup in for routine vet exams, and making sure vaccinations are current.

Lee also recommends that owners with severe allergies or asthma look into getting an air purifier with a HEPA filter to clear the air of allergens that come from pet dander. While an air filter can make living with a dog better for allergy sufferers, Lee says it’s wise to keep your four-legged friend out of the bedroom if your symptoms are particularly bad.

While all dog owners like to show affection for their animal, Lee shared one final tip that should go without saying: “It might sound gross, but open-mouth kissing with your dog is not OK. Licking your face is fine, but please don’t make out with your dog.”

“Property Brothers” stars Drew and Jonathan Scott are bound to run into a musician or two while they’re working in Nashville, TN. After all, it is known as Music City, USA!

So it’s no surprise when, in the “Striking the Right Chord” episode, the Scott brothers meet Aben and Ashley, who are both in the music business. She’s a creative director for music acts, and he’s been playing guitar for Kelly Clarkson for 11 years. The couple met backstage at the Grand Ole Opry—it doesn’t get more country than that!

It’s also no surprise that they’re fairly certain they want a home on Nashville’s famous Music Row, right in the center of all the action they enjoy, and they have $600,000 to spend on it. Yet the Scotts have other plans for them.

Check out the daring ways the twins show Aben and Ashley that their “dream home” may be quite different from what they imagine.

Location isn’t everything

After Drew takes them on an exhaustive home search, Aben and Ashley narrow it down to two contenders. One is an older house in the perfect neighborhood. However, it’s not large and it has a very small, very sloped backyard—not exactly ideal for the couple’s toddler.

The other contender is a five-bedroom 2.5-bath cottage on an acre of land. This home is lovely, but also 15 minutes outside of Nashville. It’s farther away than the couple were hoping for, but when they see their angelic 2-year-old son, Emerson, playing in the large backyard and then picking a bouquet of wildflowers for Mommy, they’re tempted to overlook the remote location.

“I can’t make this decision for you,” Drew tells them. “Which house do you see yourselves raising Emerson in?”

That does it. There’s no question that they’d rather have a beautiful place to raise Emerson than a convenient place for their music friends to visit. They cheerfully plunk down $469,000 for the larger house, which Jonathan estimates he can renovate for $130,000.

Modern industrial doesn’t have to be harsh

Ashley leans toward glam decor, and is concerned that Aben’s industrial taste will be a little too harsh for a family home. In addition to Emerson, they have two daughters who are away at college, but come home to visit quite often. They need enough comfortable space for the whole family.

But Jonathan reassures them: “You can still have that industrial design, but make it a little more comfortable, a little more family-friendly.” He explains that he’s going to mix some soft textures with strong lines, and let more natural lighting in to give their space a warm, sunny glow.

How to fake steel window frames

There are nine rectangular windows on the front of the house, and Jonathan thinks they’d look even more industrial if they had black metal frames. That would require replacing the existing windows with custom ones, which would be quite expensive even if there’s room in the budget.

But Ashley and Aben decide they’d rather spend the money on an extra set of french doors on the back of the house, so Jonathan improvises. He paints the wood window frames black, which gives the same modern effect, and Aben and Ashley are pleasantly surprised when they see it.

The window frames may look like steel, but they’re actually black-painted wood.

HGTV

Make a new addition to an old deck look seamless

If they add extra french doors in back, they’re going to have to extend the elevated porch across the back of the house. That’s just fine with them, since Jonathan tells them that with more outdoor living space, they’ll get maximum enjoyment out of their large property.

Still, when you add new wood to old, new can’t help but look obvious—no matter how much you power-wash the old part. So Jonathan puts a redwood stain on the entire back deck—and when it dries, it looks like the whole deck was built at the same time. Score!

Don’t critique artwork until it’s finished

To make the home even more rock ‘n’ roll, Jonathan commissions a local Nashville artist to paint an accent wall in the entryway. Aben and Ashley come for a visit when the black and white wall has been only partly stenciled and spray-painted. They see what looks like a floral theme, and they’re a little horrified.

“You shouldn’t judge an artist until the masterpiece is complete,” Jonathan tells them. They tell Jonathan they trust his judgment, but they don’t seem fully convinced about the artwork.

The custom-painted accent wall gives just the right vibe when it’s finished.

HGTV

Do the Scott brothers deliver?

You bet!

“That is awesome,” Aben cries as he walks through the door and sees the finished accent wall.

“I’m in love,” says Ashley as she notes the mix of soft textures with clean modern lines in the great room.

“Moving away from Music Row gave them so much more, including a gorgeous field right in their own backyard,” says Drew. Cue the mic drop.

]]>Ahoy There! Check Out a Luxury Beach House Designed Like a Large Yachthttp://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/ahoy-there-check-out-a-luxury-beach-house-designed-like-a-large-yacht/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 19:49:37 +0000http://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/ahoy-there-check-out-a-luxury-beach-house-designed-like-a-large-yacht/

We’ve seen luxury yachts, and we’ve seen an endless number of luxury homes.

But we’ve never seen a luxury home designed to resemble a luxury yacht quite like the magnificent mansion that is the brainchild of entrepreneur and lifestyle mogul Kirk Lazarus.

His company Molori (the name translates to “to dream” in the Setswana language of his native South Africa) designs luxury resorts, yachts, and even private jets. Over the past several years, Lazarus has applied the same luxury resort aesthetic to private residences, most recently to a property on the Gold Coast of Santa Monica, CA.

Lazarus says this five-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom, 5,636-square-foot home was inspired by his custom-designed, 145-foot yacht named “Told U So.”

His aim was to “provide the experience of a superyacht as a private beachfront home,” and once every little detail was completed to his satisfaction, he put the place on the market for $22 million.

Lounge with water view

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

The beach house was “designed as if you’re going forward, so everything in the house faces forward, all toward the ocean,” he explains.

Large windows were also key: “We used a lot of glass in order to optimize views, and mirrors in areas that will pick up ocean views in whatever direction you’re walking in the house,” says Lazarus.

Master suite

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

The outdoor space also adheres to the theme of being pampered at sea.

“A superyacht typically has a beach club, so this home has a cabana area that has an oversized TV lounge, a bar, an outdoor dining area, and barbecue area that leads straight onto the beach,” he says.

You also don’t have to worry about gawkers, he explains. “The [backyard spaces] are surrounded by glass, by the way, so you can see the beach from them, and at the flick of a button the glass frosts, so you have privacy.”

And with about 30 feet of public beach frontage, privacy is key.

Your own private beach club

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

Pool and cabana

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

There are two pools, because on some yachts, one simply isn’t enough. In addition to the pool by the beach club on the sand, there’s a pool on the roof with glass on both sides. The rooftop retreat is accompanied by an outdoor entertainment area with a full kitchen.

Lazarus says he’s ready for a buyer to move right in. “Everything we do, we do completely turnkey, so when we design a yacht or the interior of an aircraft, everything is included. The crockery, the cutlery, the furniture, everything.”

This sleek and modern beach house is “all about resort lifestyle and instant gratification,” Lazarus says.

Piano lounge

Coldwell Banker Global Luxury

The property is co-listed by Don Richstone of Coldwell Banker Global Luxury and Santiago Arana of The Agency.

Wondering how to prune roses? These flowers are a gorgeous addition to any yard, but they do require the right care—at the right time.

“To maintain strong, great-looking roses, proper pruning is essential,” says Jeff McManus, director of landscape services at the University of Mississippi and author of “Growing Weeders Into Leaders.”

“It is the key that keeps your roses healthy and vigorous while producing beautiful flowers,” McManus explains. Pruning also helps control the dead, diseased, and damaged canes (the technical term for rose stems) on the rosebush.

So if you want your roses to flourish, it’s time to learn how to prune roses, and when these classic flowers will most appreciate a little TLC.

The best time to prune roses

According to McManus, the best time to prune is generally at winter’s end. However, since that varies from climate to climate, a good rule of thumb is to prune after the last frost and when flower buds begin to swell.

Generally speaking, one of the big causes of roses not doing well is a disease called “black spot.” This disease needs a moist environment to thrive. “Good pruning will open up the plant and allow for airflow, which helps prevent black spot disease,” says McManus.

The best way to prune roses

Before doing any pruning, however, it’s important that you learn the correct angle at which to cut.

“Don’t cut the cane straight across, a flat cut so to speak, because water may collect on top of the flat cut and begin to cause disease issues for the plant,” instructs McManus. “Instead, prune the stems at a 45-degree angle because it keeps water from collecting on the stem at the cut.”

Make sure your pruning cuts are at 45-degree angles.

Growing Weeders into Leaders/Allie Bush

Now that you know the best angle, get ready to make the cut!

How to prune roses

You’ll need the following tools:

Gardening gloves (preferably made of thick leather to prevent cuts from thorns)

Pick four to seven strong, healthy canes—the main branches of the rose bush—and remove the remaining ones to ground level.

“If any cane is brown and shriveled up, remove it, but keep green, healthy ones,” says McManus. Ideally you’ll want to end up with those healthy canes in a vase shape (so select accordingly).

Choose canes to keep that will form a vase shape, opening outward once pruned.

Step 3: Trim the excess

Have the four to seven canes you want to keep? Prune these to about 18 inches in height. Look for outward-facing buds on the cane. (A bud refers to the bulging place on a cane where a plant will launch its new growth—a stem or shoot.) You want to choose buds on the outside of the cane, because making the cut there will encourage a rose to grow outward so that it will remain open, allowing air to pass through the plant more readily. This is a natural way to prevent black spot disease.

Make the cut about a half-inch above the outward-facing bud, at a 45-degree angle on each remaining cane.

Cut at a 45-degree angle about a half-inch above an outward-facing bud.

Gardenerd/YouTube.com

Step 4: Seal the deal

To accelerate the healing process after the cut is made, some people may apply a drop of wood glue (or nail polish or black pruning sealer) to ensure a quicker recovery as well as provide an instant protective barrier against insect attack on the freshly exposed cane. However, McManus says this step is more of an extra and isn’t required for effective pruning at a basic level.

Step 5: Keep an eye on your lovely future bouquet

As your rose begins the growth process, keep an eye on your work. If any of the canes start to cross one another (you want the bush to stay open in the center for maximum air circulation) or look diseased, feel free to trim them as well. The goal is to promote the best blooms you can, and roses will respond favorably when given a little tender, loving care.

]]>Must-Have Amenities Change From City to City, as Does Their Impact on Resale Valuehttp://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/must-have-amenities-change-from-city-to-city-as-does-their-impact-on-resale-value/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 18:47:54 +0000http://amypecoraro.com/2018/03/must-have-amenities-change-from-city-to-city-as-does-their-impact-on-resale-value/

Every property—whether it’s your primary home or one of many vacation homes—is an investment, something homeowners should keep in mind when dealing with all aspects of a property, including its amenities. And like so many things in real estate, location is key to determining which “extras” are most important.

For instance, no luxury home in Los Angeles would be complete without a private movie theater/media room, fitness area and a lush outdoor entertainment area. But in New York, those amenities are harder to come by, and multi-family buildings that include all three aren’t as common, and can therefore be much more valuable when it comes to resale value.

In New York, as well as other large cities like Chicago and London, space-efficient flats are crucial, and clever details and luxurious extras inside the apartment make a property stand out and command a higher price. Certain upgrades—think kitchens and bathrooms—are almost guaranteed to add value to a home no matter where it’s located.

When it comes to amenities in any market, homeowners should look to comparable properties to make sure theirs are on par, said Jonathan J. Miller, president and CEO of the New York City-based real estate appraisal company Miller Samuel Inc.

“If you’re looking at a lot of properties and they all have the same four amenities and there’s one you don’t have, that’s a problem,” he said.

In new multi-family developments, though, there’s a misnomer that more amenities means more appreciation, Mr. Miller said. “But there’s no basis for that; that’s just a perception that more is more,” he said.

The amenities in a $10 million home are different from those in a $2 million home.

realtor.com

When it comes to single-family homes, changes can be limited because construction has to work around what is already there, said Jason Oppenheim, president of the Oppenheim Group in Los Angeles.

Considering amenities is a much different task when building a house from scratch, and depending on how big that home will be.

“A $2 million home will have different amenities than a $10 million home,” he said. A faux wine cellar might be sufficient in a $2-million-to-$3-million abode, he said, but a movie theater/media room is a must for a $10 million home.

For already existing houses, the rules are different.

“When you’re adding square footage, you’re adding what makes sense in that physical space,” he said. Sometimes those parameters will determine what kinds of amenities can be added since not everything will fit well into the existing space.

But when looking to resale value, creating a sense of the lifestyle that can be enjoyed in a home is important.

The key when it comes to resale, “is always helping the property buyer envision themselves in the lifestyle of the space,” said Julia Hoagland, a New York City-based broker with Compass.

In real estate, the “extras” are important.

realtor.com

Gourmet kitchens and hotel-like bathrooms

For those planning to renovate and add amenities to their home before selling, Ms. Hoagland recommends upgrading bathrooms and kitchens, and paying close attention to details, or “creature comforts,” that will make them stand out.

In the bathroom, “the more it feels like the experience of a hotel, they more people will connect with it,” she said.

That could include adding a glass-walled shower that converts to a steam room for a spa-like experience at home … or a stand-alone bathtub.

Extras like heated mirrors (which will de-mist after that steamy shower) and removable shower heads can be good additions that don’t come at a huge cost, said Becky Fatemi, the director of the London-based agency Rokstone.

As for kitchens, Ms. Hoagland said extras that have visual appeal, like glass inlaid cabinets, can be just as important as top-of-the-line appliances.

Details like pot fillers behind the range, to add water to a pasta pot, for instance, and spigots in the sink can be assets to some buyers, she said.

Broker Justin Gramm of San Diego, California-based Globella Buyers Realty also recommended kitchen upgrades as a way to add value to a home. Not only should a kitchen be outfitted with the best possible appliances, but, if there’s space, he suggested adding a separate prep kitchen.

“They are great if people like to entertain,” Mr. Gramm said.“Caterers can work back there and don’t have to be seen.”

Flexible spaces

Extended garages—with room for a summer car—workout rooms with top-of-the-line equipment and optimized outdoor spaces are also extras to consider, said Emily Sachs Wong of @properties in Chicago.

People have added outdoor kitchens and luxe lounging areas to their patios and yards, she said, so they can get the most out of the warm weather.

Luxe properties often have luxe outdoor entertaining areas.

realtor.com

Another addition that Mr. Gramm is seeing a lot of interest in is separate guest quarters, whether that’s a stand-alone house or a fully-equipped apartment over the garage. Because of a new law in California, which gives homeowners the option to construct accessory dwellings within certain guidelines, these kinds of add-ons are “a lot less expensive all of a sudden,” he said, and have a lot of appeal for buyers.

In the U.K., Ms. Fatemi emphasised the importance of storage in London abodes. Buyers are looking for a separate place to stash their stuff, plus another area for utilities like the washing machine and dryer. She recommended homeowners look at all the space available to them, and, even if they aren’t ready to renovate, lay the groundwork for it.

“If there’s a basement space, go ahead and get the permits, so it’s all in place,” she said. That way, a potential buyer starts a subterranean makeover immediately.

Be careful with high-tech amenities

Systems that allow users to control temperature, lighting, security and other factors from their smartphones or tablets are very desirable to buyers, brokers said.

“There’s so much new technology available today that wasn’t available even five years ago,” said Mark Pordes, the CEO of Pordes Residential Sales & Marketing, which is based in Southern Florida.

These systems are constantly updating themselves, he said, and are easy for residents to use. But because technology evolves so quickly, systems put in place today may be out of date by the time a seller decides to put the home on the market.

“The thing with technology is that it changes so fast that if you’re going to be installing it and living there for 10 years, you should just use what you like,” Ms. Hoagland said. “When you sell, it’s probably going to be totally different.”